Multi-channel burner assembly simulataneosuly accepting multiple different fuel-air mixtures

ABSTRACT

A burner assembly comprising a burner casing having two or more separate chambers therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls. The assembly also comprises one or more input conduits each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures to at least one of the separated chambers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/446,939, filed by Joseph A. Benedetti et al. on Feb. 25, 2011, entitled, “IMPROVED LINEAR FIREPLACE WITH BURNER,” commonly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application is directed, in general, to heating apparatuses and, more specifically, to a burner assembly of a heating apparatus, and to a method of manufacturing the burner assembly.

BACKGROUND

For various fuel-fired heating apparatuses, such as gas or propane fireplaces, it is sometimes desirable to simultaneously produce a flame with mixed characteristic, e.g., a highly visible yellow flame, and, a hot blue flame to cause a viewing insert, e.g., artificial logs or embers, to glow. Traditionally, to achieve this goal, either a compromising fuel-air mixture has to be accepted, or, multiple burner assemblies each with different fuel-air mixtures have to be used, at increased component cost and complication to assemble and adjust. The latter solution also compromised the flame's characteristics because multiple burner elements cannot occupy the same space, and therefore certain regions of the viewing insert can have one or the other types of flames, but not both.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a burner assembly for a fireplace. The assembly comprises a burner casing having two or more separate chambers therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls. The assembly also comprises one or more input conduits each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures to at least one of the separated chambers.

Another embodiment is a fuel-fired heating apparatus, comprising a viewing insert located in a heating zone of the apparatus and the above-described burner assembly located under the viewing insert.

Another embodiment is method of manufacturing a burner assembly. The method comprises providing a burner casing having two or more separate chambers therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls. The method also comprises coupling one or more input conduits, each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures, to at least one of the separated chambers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A presents a perspective underside view of an example upper half of an example a burner casing of an example burner assembly of the disclosure;

FIG. 1B presents a perspective topside view of the upper half of the example casing depicted in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A presents a perspective topside view of an example lower half of an example burning casing of and example burner assembly of the disclosure;

FIG. 2B presents a perspective underside view of the lower half of the example casing depicted in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C presents a perspective topside view of an alternative example lower half of an example burning casing of and example burner assembly of the disclosure;

FIG. 2D presents a perspective underside view of the lower half of the example casing depicted in FIG. 2D; and

FIG. 3 presents a perspective front view of an example fuel-fired heating apparatus of the disclosure including an example burner assembly of the disclosure, such as any of the example burner assemblies discussed in the context of FIGS. 1A-2B; and

FIG. 4 presents a flow diagram of an example method of assembling a burner assembly of the disclosure, including any of the example embodiment burner assemblies discussed in the context of FIGS. 1A-3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The term, “or,” as used herein, refers to a non-exclusive or, unless otherwise indicated. Also, the various embodiments described herein are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a burner assembly that provides a multi-channel burner casing which allows multiple fuel-air ratios to be delivered to desired portions of the burner assembly. The multiple channels facilitate the formation of a combination of tall visible flames and hot blue flames imparting glow to a viewing insert. Some embodiments of the burner assembly allow both types of flame to co-exist in substantially the same space. Additionally, the burner assembly with the multi-channel burner casing is more cost effective to produce, efficient to assemble, and easier to adjust get the desire flame characteristics, than burner assemblies with multiple separate burners and component parts.

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a burner assembly 100 such as depicted in FIGS. 1A-2D. FIG. 1A presents a perspective underside view of an example upper pan half 105 of an example burner casing 110 of the disclosure, and FIG. 1B presents a perspective topside view of the upper pan half 105 of the example casing 110 depicted in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2A presents a perspective topside view of an example lower pan half 205 of an example burner casing 110 of the disclosure, and FIG. 2B presents a perspective underside view of the lower pan half 205 of the example casing 110 depicted in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C presents a perspective topside view of an alternative example lower pan half 205 of an example burner casing 110 of an example burner assembly 100 and FIG. 2D presents the corresponding perspective underside view of the lower pan half 205 of the example casing 110.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 1A-2D throughout, the burner assembly 100 comprises a burner casing 110 having two or more separate chambers (e.g., chambers 120, 122, 124) therein, the chambers 120, 122, 124 being divided from each other by one or more walls 130. The assembly 100 also comprises one or more input conduits 220, 222, 224 each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures to at least one of the separated chambers 120, 122, 124.

The term separate chamber, as used herein, means that the fuel-air mixture in one chamber (e.g., chamber 120) is isolated from and does not mix with the different fuel-air mixture in any other chamber (e.g., either of chamber 122 or chamber 124). The term input conduit, as used herein, refers to a hollow structure configured to receive fuel (e.g., natural gas, propane, butane or similar fuels) from an input supply line (e.g., lines 230, 232, 234) and to entrain air with the jet flow of fuel to the conduit 220, 222, 224. In some cases, one or more of the input conduits 220, 222, 224 can have a Venturi configuration to facilitate acceleration of fuel flow there-through.

In some embodiments the burner casing 110 can include an upper pan half 105 and lower pan half 205 which are configured to fit together to define the chambers 120, 122, 124 therein. In some case such as shown in FIGS. 1A-2B one half (e.g., lower pan half 205) can be flat sheet the other half (e.g., upper pan half 105) can be a sheet which include all of the walls 130 therein. In other cases both pan halves 105, 205 could include different portions of the walls 130 to form the chambers 120, 122, 124.

In some embodiments, wherein the burner casing 110 include one or more sets 140 of porting holes 142 on one side of the burner casing 110 (e.g., the upper pan half 105), the different sets of porting holes 142, e.g., configured to feed the fuel-air mixture from one of the chambers into a viewing portion of a heating apparatus, as further discussed in the context of FIG. 3 below. The burner casing 110 includes intake holes 240 on the opposite side (e.g., a surface 242 of the lower pan half 205; FIG. 2B) of the burner casing 110 configured to receive the fuel-air mixture from one of the input conduits 220, 222, 224.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments at least a first one of the separate chambers intertwines with at least a second one of the isolated chambers. For instance, the walls 139 defining the chambers 120, 122, 124 can follow a serpentine pathway and in some cases adjacent chambers 120, 122, 124 can share a wall 130. For instance, in a common plane of the upper pan half 105, chamber 120 can intertwine with chamber 122 or chamber 124 or both.

Intertwining the chambers 120, 122, 124, facilitates the precise placement of hot, blue “lean” flame, from burning air-rich fuel-air mixtures to one chamber (e.g., chamber 122) to generate glow in a viewing insert of a heating apparatus (e.g., an artificial log-set of a fireplace), and, the simultaneous precise placement of tall visible yellow flames from burning a fuel-rich fuel-air mixtures to another chamber (e.g., chamber 124). By intertwining the chambers 122, 124 and their corresponding sets of porting holes 142 the hot blue flame and the large yellow can be configured to occupy substantially the same volume of space. Intertwining chambers 120, 122, 124 can facilitate interlacing areas of glowing portions of the viewing insert and the visible flame.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2C in some embodiments, the input conduit 220, 222, 224 can be or include a pyramidal-shaped tube, although other shaped tubes (e.g., a hollow cylindrically-shaped tube) could be used. In some cases, as illustrated in FIG. 2A a surface 238 of the one or more input conduits 220, 222, 224 (e.g., a planar surface 238, such as advantageously provided by pyramidal-shaped tube) rests on a surface 247 of the burner casing 110 (e.g., the planar surface 247 of the lower pan half 205). One or more openings 245, 247, 249 in each of the conduit's 220, 222, 224 surface 238 and one of the intake holes 240 in the burning casing 110 (e.g., lower pan half 205 depicted in FIG. 2B) are aligned such that the fuel-air mixture in the input conduit 220 can flow into one or more of the chambers 120, 122, 124.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, in some cases, there are separate input conduits 220, 222 224, each input conduit having a separate air input window (e.g., windows 250, 252, 254, and each of the separate input conduits 220, 222, 224 are coupled to separate input fuel lines 230, 232, 234 such that one of the input conduits 220, 222, 224 delivers a first fuel-air mixture to a first one of the chambers (e.g., conduit 220 delivers to chamber 120) and a second one of the conduits delivers a second fuel-air mixture to a second one of the chambers conduit 222 delivers to chamber 122) and so one (e.g., a third conduit 224 delivers to third chamber 124).

By adjusting the size of the windows 250, 252, 254 different fuel-air mixtures can be delivered to the different chambers 120, 122, 124. For instance, the different fuel-air mixtures includes a first fuel-air mixture and a second fuel-air mixture provided from a same flow rate of fuel and two different flow rates of air (e.g., due to different sized windows 250, 252), respectively. For instance, in some cases the conduits can include an adjustable covering for one or more of the windows (e.g., coverings 256, 258 for windows 252, 254, respectively) to adjust the size of the window. Alternatively, the separate input conduits 220, 222, 224 could have different numbers of same-sized windows 250, 252, 254 to produce different fuel-air mixtures. Alternatively the sizes of the windows 250, 252, 254 could all be the same, and the size of an orifice (e.g., the diameter of cylindrical orifices 260, 262, 264) could be adjusted to produce different fuel-air mixtures. For instance, the different fuel-air mixtures includes a first fuel-air mixture and a second fuel-air mixture provided from a same flow rate of air and two different flow rates of fuel (e.g., due to differently-sized orifices 262, 264, respectively).

In some embodiments, the different fuel-air mixtures includes a first fuel-air mixture having an air-to-fuel volume ratio that is in a range of about 1:2 to about 1:3, and a second fuel-air mixture having an air-to-fuel volume ratio that is in a range of about 1:1 to 2:1. Based on the present disclosure one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the numerous alternative to produce different fuel-air mixtures.

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, in some cases, at least one of the input conduits (e.g., conduit 222 in FIG. 2C) has a divider 270 therein, the divider separating an input fuel flow (e.g., fuel flow from input line 232 into separate cavities (e.g., cavities 272, 274), each of the cavities 262, 264 having a separate air flows thereto (e.g., via separate windows 275, 277, and the optional coverings shown in FIG. 2A). One of the cavities 262 delivers a first fuel-air mixture to a first one of the chambers (e.g., chamber 222) and a second of the cavities 274 delivers a second fuel-air mixture to a second one of the chambers (e.g., chamber 224).

As further illustrated in FIG. 2C an input fuel line, coupled to the at least one input conduit (e.g., fuel line 232 coupled to conduit 222), has two orifices 262, 264 that each separately deliver fuel to the separate cavities 272, 274. In some cases, as further illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2C, a portion 150 of at least one of the walls 130 between two of the chambers (e.g., chambers 122 and 124) separates flows of the different fuel-air mixtures from a first one of cavities 262 and a second one of the cavities 264 to the first chamber 122 and the second chamber 124, respectively (e.g., via openings 247, 249).

Using a conduit 222, with the divider 270 therein, allow the elimination some component parts while still achieving the distribution of different fuel-air mixtures to different chambers. For instance, the burner casing 110 can three separate chambers, first and second ones of the chambers 122, 124 receiving two of the different fuel-air mixtures from a single first one of the input conduits 222. Of course, other conduits could be configured as illustrated in FIG. 2A. For instance for the embodiment shown in FIG. 2C, a third one of the chambers 120 can receive one of the different fuel-air mixtures from a second one of the input conduits 220, configured the same as that discussed in the context of FIG. 2A.

Another embodiment of the disclosure is fuel-fired heating apparatus. FIG. 3 presents a perspective front view of an example fuel-fired heating apparatus 300 of the disclosure including an example burner assembly 100 of the disclosure, such as any of the example burner assemblies 100 discussed in the context of FIGS. 1A-2D.

For instance, the apparatus 300 comprises a viewing insert 310 located in a heating zone 315 of the apparatus 300. The apparatus 300 also comprises a burner assembly 100 located under the viewing insert 310. The burner assembly 100 includes a burner casing 110 having two or more separate chambers 120, 122, 124 therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls 130 (FIG. 1A). The assembly 100 also includes one or more input conduits 220, 222 each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures to at least one of the separate chamber 120, 122, 124.

For instance, some embodiments of the apparatus 300 includes a first set 320 of porting holes 142 in the top surface 322 of the burner casing 110 receiving an air-rich fuel-air mixture from one of the chambers (e.g., one of chambers 120, 122, 124) are adjacent to parts of the viewing insert 310 are configured to produce a blue flame to thereby cause the viewing insert to glow when the air-rich fuel-air mixture is combusted. In some embodiments, a second set 325 of porting holes 142 in the top surface 322 of the burner casing 110 receiving a fuel-rich fuel-air mixture from another one of the chambers (e.g., a different one of chambers 120, 122, 124) are configured to provide a yellow flame when the fuel-rich fuel-air mixture is combusted

In some embodiments, the apparatus 300 is apparatus is configured as a fireplace, a stove, or a fire-pit. In some embodiments, the viewing insert 310 is configured as an artificial log-set or embers. In some embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a viewing window 330 in a firebox 335 through which the viewing inset 330 is visible.

As further illustrated in FIG. 3 the apparatus 300 can further include input fuel lines (e.g., lines 230, 232, 234 each coupled to one of the conduits (e.g., conduits 220, 222, 224). The input fuel lines 230, 232, 234 can be coupled to a valve 340 (e.g., a solenoid valve) configured to regulate fuel flow from a primary line 345 (e.g., the gas or propane line of a building).

Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of manufacturing a burner assembly, such as any of the assemblies 100 discussed in the context of FIGS. 1A-3. FIG. 4 presents a flow diagram of an example method of assembling a burner assembly of the disclosure, including any of the example embodiment burner assemblies 100 discussed in the context of FIGS. 1A-3. With continuing reference to FIGS. 1A-3 throughout, the example method 400 comprises a step 410 of providing a burner casing 110 having two or more separate chambers (e.g., chambers 120, 122, 124) therein, the chambers 120, 122, 124 being divided from each other by one or more walls 130. The method 400 also comprises a step 420 of coupling one or more input conduits (e.g., conduits 320, 322, 324), each conduit configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures, to at least one of the separated chambers 120, 122, 124.

In some embodiments of the method 400 the step 410 of providing the burner casing 110 includes a step 430 coupling an upper pan half 105 to a lower pan half 205 to form the separate chambers 120, 122, 124 therein. For instance, outer portions 160, 280 (FIGS. 1A, 2A) of the pan halves 105, 205, e.g., outer edges, can be welded, clamped, screwed, or bolted together.

In some embodiments of the method 400 the step 410 of providing the burner casing 110 includes a step 435 of forming different sets 320, 325 of porting holes 142 in a major surface 170 of the upper pan half 105, where each of the different sets 320, 325 of porting holes 142 open into one of the chambers 120, 122, 124.

In some embodiments of the method 400 the step 410 of providing the burner casing 110 includes a step 440 of forming intake holes 240 in a bottom surface of the pan lower half 205. Each of the intake holes 204 are configured to open into one or more of the chambers 120, 122, 124. In some cases, one of the intake holes 240 straddles two of the chambers and thereby opens into the two chambers (e.g., chambers 122, 124 in FIG. 2C).

In some embodiments of the method 400 the step 410 of providing the burner casing 110 includes a step 445 of forming chamber walls 130 on a major surface 170 of the upper pan half 105 or a major surface 242 of the lower pan half 205. For instance, parts of a material layer (e.g., a metal, ceramic or other noncombustible material) can be machined or molded to define the walls 130. In other embodiments, drawing or extrusion process can be used alternatively or additionally.

In some embodiment of the method 400, the step 420 of coupling the one or more input conduits 220, 222, 224 includes a step 450 of coupling at least one of the input conduits (e.g., the conduit 232 in FIG. 2C having a divider 260 placed therein) to two of the chambers (e.g., chambers 124, 126).

Some embodiment of the method 400, can further include a step 455 of coupling each of the one input conduits 220, 222, 224 to an input fuel line (e.g., lines 230, 232, 234)

Those skilled in the art to which this application relates will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the described embodiments. 

1. A burner assembly, comprising: a burner casing having two or more separate chambers therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls; and one or more input conduits each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures to at least one of the separated chambers.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the burner casing includes a upper pan half and a lower pan half which are configured to fit together to define the separate chambers therein.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the burner casing includes: one or more sets of porting holes on one side of the burner casing, the different sets of porting holes configured to feed the fuel-air mixture from one of the chambers into a viewing portion of a heating apparatus; and intake holes on the opposite side of the burner casing configured to receive the fuel-air mixtures from one of the input conduits.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a first one of the separate chambers intertwines with at least a second one of the isolated chambers.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a surface of the one or more input conduits rests on a surface of the burner casing, and an opening in the conduit surface is aligned with an intake hole in the burner casing such that the fuel-air mixture in the input conduit can flow into one or more of the chambers.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more input conduits includes separate input conduits, each input conduit having a separate air input window, and each of the separate input conduits are coupled to a separate input fuel line such that one of the input conduits delivers a first fuel-air mixture to a first one of the chambers and a second one of the conduits delivers a second fuel-air mixture to a second one of the chambers.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the input conduits has a divider therein, the divider separating an input fuel flow into separate cavities, each of the cavities having a separate air flows thereto, one of the cavities delivering a first fuel-air mixture to a first one of the chambers and a second of the cavities delivering a second fuel-air mixture to a second one of the chambers.
 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein an input fuel line coupled to the at least one input conduit has two orifices the each separately deliver fuel to the separate cavities.
 9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a portion of at least one of the walls between two of the chambers separates flows of the different fuel-air mixtures from a first one of cavities and a second one of the cavities to the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively.
 10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the burner casing has three separate chambers, first and second ones of the chambers receiving two of the different fuel-air mixtures from a first one of the input conduits, and a third one of the chambers receiving one of the different fuel-air mixtures from a second one of the input conduits.
 11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the different fuel-air mixtures includes a first fuel-air mixture and a second fuel-air mixture provided from a same flow rate of fuel and two different flow rates of air, respectively.
 12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the different fuel-air mixtures includes a first fuel-air mixture and a second fuel-air mixture provided from a same flow rate of air and two different flow rates of fuel, respectively.
 13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the different fuel-air mixtures includes a first fuel-air mixture having an air-to-fuel volume ratio that is in a range of about 1:2 to about 1:3, and a second fuel-air mixture having an air-to-fuel volume ratio that is in a range of about 1:1 to 2:1.
 14. A fuel-fired heating apparatus, comprising: a viewing insert located in an heating zone of the apparatus; and a burner assembly located under the viewing insert, the burner assembly including: a burner casing having two or more separate chambers therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls; and one or more input conduits each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures to at least one of the separated chambers.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a first set of porting holes in the top of the burner casing receiving an air-rich fuel-air mixture from one of the chambers are adjacent to the viewing insert are configured to produce a blue flame to thereby cause the viewing insert to glow when the air-rich fuel-air mixture is combusted, and, a second set of porting holes in the top of the burner casing receiving a fuel-rich fuel-air mixture from another one of the chambers are configured to provide a yellow flame when the fuel-rich fuel-air mixture is combusted.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is configured as a fireplace, a stove, or a fire-pit.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the viewing insert is configured as an artificial log-set or embers.
 18. A method of manufacturing a burner assembly, comprising: providing a burner casing having two or more separate chambers therein, the chambers being divided from each other by one or more walls; and coupling one or more input conduits, each configured to deliver different fuel-air mixtures, to at least one of the separated chambers.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing a burner casing includes coupling an upper pan half to a lower pan half to form the separate chambers therein.
 20. The method claim 18, wherein coupling the one or more input conduits includes coupling at least one of the input conduits to two of the chambers. 